SoC dev software certified for IEC 61508 safety requirements

Semiconductor solution provider, Microsemi, has announced that its Libero system-on-chip (SoC) development software version 11.5 Service Pack (SP)2, offering a comprehensive suite of FPGA design tools, has achieved functional safety certification from TÜV Rheinland according to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61508-2, Annex F. With Microsemi now offering a Functional Safety Data Package, engineers designing products to conform to IEC 61508:2010 can utilise the company’s certified Libero tool chain to accelerate certification time.

The functional safety certification of Libero v11.5 SP2 supports Microsemi’s IGLOO and ProASIC3 FPGA product families, as well as many intellectual property (IP) blocks, in functional safety applications in accordance with IEC 61508 up to SIL 3. Using the new Functional Safety Data Package with the certified version of Libero makes it easier to pass functional safety assessments, accelerating the time to certification. Designers are also able to leverage the benefits of Microsemi’s differentiating FPGA features, including single event upset (SEU) immunity, instant-on and lower power.

As part of Microsemi’s commitment to IEC 61508 safety-critical applications, its newly certified Libero SoC software is suitable for FPGA designs targeting applications within the industrial, medical, locomotive, avionics and defense markets such as robotics, transportation controls, drones and other applications where human life could be at risk if electronics fail. The company’s Functional Safety Data Package includes information on relevant devices and their capabilities; Libero SoC Design Suite v11.5 SP2, certified by TÜV Rheinland; Libero SoC documentation; relevant IP cores and associated documentation; and IEC 61508 Safety Data Manual.

Functional safety has become increasingly important as designers depend upon the ability to detect a potentially dangerous condition and activate a protective or corrective device to prevent hazardous events. Thus, the IEC 61508 Functional Safety of Electrical/Electronic/Programmable Electronic (E/E/PE) Safety Related Systems and other standards were created and continue to be updated. Validating the scope of the issue, the 2016 Wilson Research Group Functional Verification Study reported 44% of users were working on projects for safety-critical designs under various standards.

TÜV Rheinland assessed and qualified the Microsemi Libero software tools and tool flow as well as selected IPs according to the international IEC 61508 standard. This qualification eliminates the need for customers to qualify the company’s FPGA development tools independently, enabling Microsemi’s customers to achieve an approved safety system much more easily.

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